Retail

New York City -- Waste Management and Publix Super Markets announced the opening of the Okeechobee Organics Recycling Facility, which uses advanced aerated composting technology to process food residuals.

The eight-acre facility, located adjacent to Waste Management’s Okeechobee Landfill, utilizes a forced aeration system with computer controls to regulate airflow and air treatment to process pre-consumer food waste from Publix stores -- including produce, bakery and floral items -- with yard waste into organic compost products.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — OfficeMax has announced that it has entered into an agreement with RadioShack whereby RadioShack employees will offer mobile products and services, including prepaid and postpaid wireless products, accessories and service plans, as well as assist in selling OfficeMax consumer electronics products and services, in approximately 15 to 20 OfficeMax stores in the San Francisco market. The pilot program will begin in January 2012. 

New York City -- Mattress retailer Mattress Firm Holding Corp. expects to raise about $100 million in an initial public offering to pay down its debt, the Associated Press reported.

The company is offering 5.6 million shares, and expects them to price from $17 to $19 each. After expenses the company anticipates net proceeds of about $90 million.

Most of the proceeds will go toward repaying $84.4 million in debt outstanding under a loan.

Mattress Firm and its franchisees run 757 stores in 25 states.

NEW YORK — Shoppers today are more knowledgeable than ever when it comes to finding deals on their favorite products, and many won't even set foot in store until they have an idea of their potential savings, according to the Deloitte/Harrison Group annual American Pantry Survey.

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot announced that Office Depot stores in Plano, Texas; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tallahassee, Fla., won the top three spots for retail energy efficiency gains in the 2011 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star National Building Competition. The Plano and Raleigh stores were also the only retailers in the overall top 10 list.

New Albany, Ohio -- Abercrombie & Fitch earnings rose 1.7% in the third quarter, well short of analysts’ estimates, as rising costs pressures offset a big jump in sales.

For the quarter ended Oct. 30, the chain reported $50.9 million in earnings, up from $50 million in the same period last year. Total sales rose 21% to $1.08 billion, more or less in line with Wall Street estimates.

Total international sales including e-commerce rose 56% to $255.7 million. In the United States, sales rose 14% to $820.2 million.
 

PITTSBURGH — Giant Eagle has named Laura Shapira Karet CEO and John Lucot president and COO. Both appointments are effective Jan. 9, 2012. 

Karet, 42, is taking over the position from her father David Shapira, who will assume the position of executive chairman of Giant Eagle's board of directors. Shapira has served as CEO 1980.

New York City -- Excitement over unexpected in-store deals has diminished as discounted prices become an anticipated part of the consumer products shopping experience, according to the Deloitte/Harrison Group annual American Pantry Survey.